Collapsible furniture



Sept. 15, 1964 R. J. CONNOLLY I 3, ,9

COLLAPSIBLEFURNITURE Filed Aug. 28, 1963 5 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR. ROBERT J. CONA/OLLY ATTO Elk/5 V Sept. 15, 1964 R. J. CONNOLLY COLLAPSIBLE FURNITURE Filed Aug. 28, 1963 5 Sheets-Sheet 5 INVENTOR.

ROBERT J. CONNOLLV ATTOENEV United States Patent Ofifice 3,148,915 Patented Sept. 15., 1964 3,148,915 COLLAPSIBLE FURNITURE Robert .I. Connolly, 116 Paine Ave, Irvington, NJ. Filed Aug. 28, 1963, Ser. No. 305,092 4 Claims. (Cl. 297159) This invention relates to collapsible furniture which can be assembled into a compact, decorative and useful unit, requiring little room space, and which can be opened and expanded into a dinette, a sleeping unit, or the like. More specifically, it deals with an upright convertible unit having a back portion and hinged side portions which open at right angles to said back portion and from which may be opened supports, seats or bed portions. Also, the back portion carries an extendable element which may serve as a table or bed portion, or the like.

In this present age of over-population of metropolitan areas, space has acquired a premium status, and furniture which will fill the need of temporary use, while still capable of being folded into even merely decorative, but more compact assemblies, is sorely needed. The present invention fills this need for collapsible furniture, and even provides utilitarian use for the compacted unit.

The invention will be more readily understood by reference to the accompanying drawings in which a preferred embodiment is described, and in which FIGURE 1 illustrates a perspective front view of a convertible dinette made in accordance with the invention and shown in the closed or compacted condition. FIGURE 2 depicts a top or plan View thereof, with the top of the back partly cut away. A front perspective view of the same unit, partly in open condition, is presented in FIGURE 3, while FIGURE 4 shows the same unit with both sides open and the center table portion and seats in the sides, ready to be lowered. FIGURE 5 illustrates a similar view of the same unit in completely open condition. A different embodiment of the same invention, as applied to a convertible bed unit in open condition, is presented in FIG- URE 6. Similar numerals refer to similar parts in the various figures.

Referring again to the drawings, numeral represents generally an upright or vertical back portion having a rear panel 11, sides 12 and 13, and top 14. Attached to the front edge of one of the sides (e.g., side 13) of the back portion, by means of hinges 16, is upright hollow side 17 which consists of front panel 18, and inwardlyprojecting top 19, sides 20, and bottom 21, if desired. Within the hollow formed by these sides, top and bottom, is seat 22, hinged at 23 to front panel 18, and carrying two legs 24 hinged to its rear portion, in a manner such that when side 17 is in open condition, seat 22 may be extended and supported by legs 24 (if it is not otherwise supported).

Attached to the front edge of the other side of the back portion 10, e.g., side 12, is forwardly-projecting extension which has a width slightly greater than the thickness of side 17. On the forward edge fo this extension 15 is attached, by means of hinges 25, the other upright side 26 which is similar to side 17, in that it is hollow and has inwardly-projecting top 19', sides 20' and bottom 21'. Within the hollow of side 26 (on panel 18) also is mounted seat 22, similar to seat 22 in side 17, and legs 24', serving as supports for the seat.

Centrally-mounted to the upper portion of back panel 11, on hinge 27, is table 28, which is held in upright position against back panel 11 by spring lock 29. Table 28 is provided, on its bottom, with leg 30, which is hingeably attached to the table at 31. It will be noted that when side 17 is in closed condition, side 26 can be closed in overlapping relation thereto, due to extension 15.

Back portion 10, may be provided with forwardlyprojecting shelves 32, 32', and 33, 33-, as well as 37, 37', for storage of articles. Also, flexible laterally-sliding panels 34-and 34', having handles 35 and 3'5, respectively, may be provided to slide in upper runway 36 (FIG. 2). These panels 3434 may be slid with ends in abutting relation, as in FIGURE 1, to cover the upper portion of the table 28, after it has been folded.

As can be seen from FIGURES 1-5, when the dinette is in closed condition, as in FIGURE 1, it is opened by pulling out side 26, until it is at right angles to back portion 19. Then, side 17 is pulled out (as in FIG. 3), until it is at right angles with respect to back portion 10, (as in FIG. 4). Thereafter, seats 22 and 22' are pulled out of the hollows of their respective sides, and legs 24 and 24' are placed upright to support their respective seats. Then, table 28 is lowered, after releasing spn'ng lock 29, and leg 30 is positioned as its support (as in FIG. 5). Seats 22 and 22' can be held in place in closed position in their respective sides by means of catches 38 and 38', respectively (FIG. 5

FIGURE 6 shows a modification of the present invention, wherein a collapsible bed is employed, and the sides have upper oppositely-hinged portions with their sides and top which interleave when closed. As in the previously-described unit, back portion 10' has back panel 11, to which is hinged, at 27' (at a position lower than table 28), middle bed panel 2, having hinged leg 30.

Hinged to the front edge of side 13, a hinge 16, is hollow side 17' having front panel 18, back panel 39, and sides 20. The upper approximate half of side 20 consists of two hinged portions: inner seat portion 40, hinged to back panel 39 at 41, and swinging inwardly toward central bed panel 28, and consisting of side panel 42 provided with leg or legs 43 hinged at 44, and serving as a support for swingable seat 40, as well as sides 45 which interleave with sides 46 of the opposite swingable side 47.

Side 47 is hinged at 48 to front panel 18, and it swings outwardly, and is provided with leg or legs 49 hinged at 50. When swingable side 40 and 47 are swung toward each other in closed position (and locked by a latch, not shown), sides 45 overlap sides 46, and top 19' covers the open end of side 45, while legs 43 and 49 fold against panels 42 and 51, respectively.

Side 26' is mounted on extension 15' by hinges 25', and it has the upper half similarly provided with outwardly-swinging hollow portion 52, and inwardly-swinging seat 53, designed similarly to portions 40 and 47 on side 17'. Thus, it can be seen that, when the unit is in completely open position, mattresses or pads 54, and pillow 55 may be laid on surfaces 51', 28 and 51, to serve as a bed. When in closed condition, it is apparent that the unit will have legs 49 and 49 hanging on the front panels of each side, with legs 49' being exposed on the front of the collapsed assembly, but these legs can be fitted into the design of the front of side 26, so as not to be objectionable aesthetically. Shelves 32a and 32b may be hinged at 55 and 55', respectively, and swung upwardly to accommodate bedding, and the like.

I claim:

1. A collapsible piece of furniture, as described, comp an upright back portion having a back panel, a top,

and sides,

a first forwardly-swingable upright hollow side portion having a top, sides, and a front panel, and hingeablyattached at one side to a side edge of said back portion.

an upright forwardly-projecting extension attached to the other side edge of said back portion, and having a width somewhat greater than the thickness of said first side portion,

3 4 a second forwardly-swingable upright hollow side por- 4. A collapsible piece of furniture according to claim tion having a top, sides, and a front panel, and 1 in which the upper part of the front panel, sides and top hingeably-attached to the forward edge of said exof each side is hinged as a unit to the lower front panel tension, in outwardly-swingable relation, and at least one leg a seat hingeably-mounted in the hollow of each of said 5 hingeably attached to the swingable front panel portion.

side portions in inwardly-swingable relation, and

a table hingeably-mounted on the middle front surface References Cited in the file Of this Patent of said back panel, and carrying a foldable leg, in a UNITED STATES PATENTS manner such that said table may be swung out and positioned forwardly and between said seats. 10 2 2553;: a1 "5:3 2. A collapsible piece of furniture according to claim 2. A 9 1932 1 in which shelves are provided on said back portion at 1903954 'f 1934 each side of said table. me a 3. A collapsible piece of furniture according to claim FOREIGN PATENTS 1 in which the back portion is higher than the side por- 15 tions, and laterally-sliding means are provided on the "ga exposed front portion to conceal it. 

1. A COLLAPSIBLE PIECE OF FURNITURE, AS DESCRIBED, COMPRISING, AN UPRIGHT BACK PORTION HAVING A BACK PANEL, A TOP, AND SIDES, A FIRST FORWARDLY-SWINGABLE UPRIGHT HOLLOW SIDE PORTION HAVING A TOP, SIDES, AND A FRONT PANEL, AND HINGEABLYATTACHED AT ONE SIDE TO A SIDE EDGE OF SAID BACK PORTION. AN UPRIGHT FORWARDLY-PROJECTING EXTENSION ATTACHED TO THE OTHER SIDE EDGE OF SAID BACK PORTION, AND HAVING A WIDTH SOMEWHAT GREATER THAN THE THICKNESS OF SAID FIRST SIDE PORTION, A SECOND FORWARDLY-SWINGABLE UPRIGHT HOLLOW SIDE PORTION HAVING A TOP, SIDES, AND A FRONT PANEL, AND HINGEABLY-ATTACHED TO THE FORWARD EDGE OF SAID EXTENSION, A SEAT HINGEABLY-MOUNTED IN THE HOLLOW OF EACH OF SAID SIDE PORTIONS IN INWARDLY-SWINGABLE RELATION, AND A TABLE HINGEABLY-MOUNTED ON THE MIDDLE FRONT SURFACE OF SAID BACK PANEL, AND CARRYING A FOLDABLE LEG, IN A MANNER SUCH THAT SAID TABLE MAY BE SWUNG OUT AND POSITIONED FORWARDLY AND BETWEEN SAID SEATS. 